Fishing rod holder

Abstract

An adjustable fishing rod holder assembly has a base assembly, a holder, and a latching assembly. The base assembly is adapted to be mounted to a surface. The holder is adapted to removably receive the handle or butt end of a fishing rod. The holder is pivotally coupled to the base assembly to allow the angle of inclination of the holder to be adjusted. The latching assembly is configured to lock the holder in multiple inclination angle positions with respect to the base assembly.

1 . An adjustable fishing rod holder assembly, the assembly comprising:
 a base assembly adapted to be mounted to a surface;   a holder configured to removably receive a portion of a fishing rod and pivotally coupled to the base assembly for adjustment of an inclination angle; and   a latch assembly configured to lock the holder in multiple inclination angle positions with respect to the base assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the base assembly comprises:
 a pivot assembly having an upper portion pivotally connected to the holder and defining a pivot axis of the holder.   
     
     
         3 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the base assembly comprises:
 a rotational assembly secured to a lower portion of the pivot assembly and defining a rotational axis of the holder, the assembly adapted to swing the holder to multiple locking positions.   
     
     
         4 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a base plate adapted to secure to a lower end of the rotational assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the wherein the rotational assembly comprises:
 a lower puck defining the rotational axis and having circumferentially arrayed apertures;   an upper puck mounted to the lower puck and adjustable with respect to the lower puck about the rotational axis;   a locking lever pivotally coupled to the upper puck; and   a locking pin engaging the locking lever and capable of actuation into and out of locking engagement with the aperture in the lower puck to restrain or allow for rotational adjustment of the upper puck.   
     
     
         6 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a second spring which biases the locking lever to actuate the locking pin into locking engagement with the aperture in the lower puck. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 5 , further comprising a trunnion which rotatably interfaces the upper puck and is secured to the lower puck to define the rotational axis about which the upper puck rotates. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustable fishing rod holder of  claim 1 , wherein the latch assembly comprises:
 a circumferential array of detents disposed generally at or below the pivot coupling between the holder and the base assembly;   a bias spring; and   a latch lever has an upper portion adapted as a handle and a lower portion which engages the detents, the latch lever is pivotally coupled to a side surface of the holder and biased by the bias spring longitudinally downward and inward into engagement with the detents to lock the holder in multiple inclination angle positions.   
     
     
         9 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the lower portion of the latch lever is configured with a pawl which extends generally inward toward the base assembly and the detents are configured as a ratchet to allow the holder to be manually inclined azimuthally upward from the base assembly without manually actuating the latch lever out of engagement with the detents. 
     
     
         10 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the latch lever is capable of actuation out of engagement with the detents to unlock the holder and allow for adjustment of the inclination angle of the holder. 
     
     
         11 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the holder comprises:
 an open frame longitudinally extending hollow tubular shaft has an outer surface channel adapted to receive a portion of the latch assembly and a lower portion pivotally coupled to an upper portion of the base assembly.   
     
     
         12 . An adjustable fishing rod holder assembly, the assembly comprising:
 a lower disc defining a rotational axis and having circumferentially arrayed apertures;   an upper disc mounted to the lower disc and adjustable with respect to the lower disc about the rotational axis;   a locking lever pivotally coupled to the upper disc;   a bias spring;   a locking pin engaging the locking lever and biased by the bias spring into locking engagement with the aperture in the lower disc, the pin capable of manual actuation out of locking engagement to allow for rotational adjustment of the upper disc;   a pivot base mounted to a top surface of the upper disc and defining a pivot axis;   a holder configured to removably receive a portion of a fishing rod and pivotally coupled to an upper portion of the pivot base for adjustment of an inclination angle;   a circumferential array of detents disposed generally at or below the pivot axis;   a second bias spring; and   a latch lever has an upper portion adapted as a handle and a lower portion which engages the detents on the pivot base, the latch lever is pivotally coupled to a side surface of the holder and biased by the second bias spring longitudinally downward and inward into engagement with the detents to lock the holder in multiple inclination angle positions.   
     
     
         13 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising a base plate adapted to secure to a bottom surface of the lower disc. 
     
     
         14 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a channel adapted to be mounted to a surface and configured so as to permit the base plate to be slidably inserted within and fastened to the channel. 
     
     
         15 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the lower portion of the latch lever is configured with a pawl which extends generally inward toward the pivot base and the detents are configured as a ratchet to allow the holder to be manually inclined azimuthally upward from the pivot base without manually actuating the latch lever out of engagement with the detents. 
     
     
         16 . An adjustable fishing rod assembly, the assembly comprising:
 a first puck adapted to be mounted to a surface;   a second puck interfacing the first puck;   a pivot bracket mounted to the top of the second puck;   a holder pivotally coupled to the bracket and capable of removably receiving a portion of a fishing rod;   means for angularly adjusting the second puck relative to the first puck about a rotational axis;   means for interlocking the second puck with the first puck in multiple interlocking positions;   means for angularly adjusting the holder relative to the pivot bracket about a pivot axis; and   means for interlocking the holder with the pivot bracket in multiple interlocking positions.   
     
     
         17 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a base plate adapted to mount to a surface. 
     
     
         18 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means for interlocking the second puck with the first puck in multiple interlocking positions comprises:
 a locking lever pivotally coupled to the upper puck;   a bias spring;   a locking pin engaging the locking lever and biased by the bias spring into locking engagement with an aperture in the lower puck, the pin capable of manual actuation out of locking engagement to allow for rotational adjustment of the upper puck to multiple interlocking positions.   
     
     
         19 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means for angularly adjusting the second puck relative to the first puck about a rotational axis comprises:
 a trunnion which rotatably interfaces the upper puck and is secured to the lower puck to define the rotational axis about which the upper puck rotates.   
     
     
         20 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means for interlocking the holder with the pivot bracket in multiple interlocking positions comprises:
 a circumferential array of detents disposed generally at or below the pivot axis;   a bias spring; and   a latch lever has an upper portion adapted as a handle and a lower portion which engages the detents, the latch lever is pivotally coupled to a side surface of the holder and biased by the bias spring longitudinally downward and inward into engagement with the detents to lock the holder in multiple interlocking positions.   
     
     
         21 . The adjustable fishing rod holder assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the lower portion of the latch lever is configured with a pawl which extends generally inward toward the pivot bracket and the detents are configured as a ratchet to allow the holder to be manually inclined azimuthally upward from the pivot bracket without manually actuating the latch lever out of engagement with the detents.